AUGUSTA -- Fewer students are enrolled in classes at the University of Maine at Augusta, but those who have remained are taking on a heavier course load, UMA's latest enrollment figures show.

An economy in sharp decline could be influencing both trends, said Jon Henry, UMA's Dean of Enrollment Services.

Many part-time students are cutting back on the number of courses they are taking on, Henry said. Enrollment remains fairly constant for degree-seeking full-time students.

Slightly fewer than 5,000 students are enrolled in UMA classes this fall, which represents a 2.4 percent drop since October 2007. At the same time, the number of total credit hours at the university's campuses has risen 0.2 percent.

The changes in UMA's student population mirror the changes taking place across the University of Maine system's seven campuses. When the university system releases enrollment figures in the coming days, system spokesman John Diamond said, a few campuses will show student populations growing while others will show reduced student numbers.

"There's a general belief that when the economy is weak, that students who are enrolled on a part-time basis, especially those who have jobs and family responsibilities, those students are more likely to cut back on the number of classes they're enrolled in or take a break from pursuing their education in order to focus on financial concerns," Diamond said.